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Poland afraid of problems with refugees in case of Ukraine conflict escalation

As long as there’s war in Ukraine, thousands of Ukrainians will flee their country first of all to Hungary and Poland, Polish president says

BERLIN, August 28. /TASS/. In case the situation in Ukraine deteriorates, Poland may face migration problems, President Andrzej Duda said Friday before a meeting with his German counterpart Joachim Gauck.

"If there is an escalation [of the conflict], more and more citizens [of Ukraine] will head to the eastern borders of the European Union," Duda said.

Besides, he said, Europe should contribute to political and economic stability in problem states.

Poland refuses to receive most part of visitors coming in the past months to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa on its territory. The Polish president linked this position with the conflict in Ukraine a day prior to his visit to Berlin.

"Being an EU member country, Poland wants to display solidarity; however, as regards refugees, here we have problems in connection with the conflict in Ukraine — as long as there’s war there, thousands of Ukrainians will flee [their country] first of all to Hungary and Poland," Duda said.

"We are the immediate neighbors of Ukrainians, and they may feel safe," he said in an interview published in German tabloid Bild. "There are prerequisites already now that a few hundred thousand Ukrainians want to come to us. Other countries should take it into account while raising the issue of readiness to render assistance."